Spain legalizes same-sex marriage

Spain, a predominantly Catholic country, became the third nation Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage following The Netherlands and Belgium.

By a vote of 187-147 with four abstentions, the 350-seat Congress of
Deputies approved the measure to give same-sex couples the same rights
as heterosexual ones, including the right to adopt children and inherit
each others' property. The bill, which became law immediately, says:
"Matrimony shall have the same requirements and effects regardless of
whether the persons involved are of the same or different sex."

Catholic leaders and the conservative opposition People's Party lobbied heavily against the bill "calling it an assault on the institution of marriage and a threat to social stability." The Roman Catholic Church endorsed a June 18 opposition rally in which hundreds of thousands marched through Madrid including 20 bishops.

Recent polls suggest Spaniards support gay marriage saying 62
percent of Spaniards support the government's action on gay marriage,
and 30 percent oppose it.

According to an Associated Press story, Beatriz Gimeno, a longtime
leader of the gay rights movement in Spain, held back tears as she
hugged her partner Boti after the vote.

"It is a historic day for the world's homosexuals. We have been
fighting for many years," Gimeno said. "Now comes the hardest part,
which is changing society's mentality."

Gay couples can get married as soon as the law is published in the
official government registry as early as Friday or within two weeks at
the latest, parliament's press office said.

Source: Wikinews